Hiking in Bhutan is an excellent way to explore this unique and beautiful country. Adventurers can embark on a journey to some of the most isolated locations in the nation. During the hike, visitors can enjoy the beauty of the fertile fields and verdant foliage while visiting distant towns, monasteries, and temples that are often not accessible to many people. Exciting highlights of this excursion include visiting isolated farmhouses and temples and interacting with locals and children.
After an exciting flight that takes you through the breathtaking Bhutanese foothills and past the majestic Himalayan peaks, including Mt. Everest, you will arrive at Paro International Airport.
A representative from our company will greet you and drive you to your hotel for some refreshments.
Afternoon, visit the National Museum (formerly known as Ta Dzong), where you can see remarkable works of art, antiquities, thangka paintings, and beautiful postal stamps from Bhutan.
Then, visit the enormous Rinpung Dzong (Castle on a Heap of Precious Jewels), another significant historical building in Bhutan. In the evening, stall around Paro's town.
Overnight at Hotel.
Begin the day with a visit to Dzongdrakha village, which clings to a cliff overlooking the rice fields and Paro valley.
Drive for about an hour and hike to Kila Gompa monastery, which consists of about 30 nuns. You can meet them over a cup of tea in the temple. After visiting the monastery, continue hiking towards Chela pass (3988m). You will see many yaks on the way. From the pass, you will get a stunning view of the Himalayas. Drive to Paro valley and stroll around the town.
Overnight hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your stunning 30-minute flight to the charming valley of Bumthang. Upon arrival, we will have lunch in the town and hike towards Ngalakha village.
The trail will take you along the Chamkhar Chu, a river well-known for its trout, and halt at Thangbi Lhakhang to visit this old and beautiful village temple. From there, the hike proceeds into the Ngang Yul, also known as the "Land of the Swan." The Ngang Lhakhang, or the "Swan Temple," is situated in the heart of this valley. The area was once home to a large number of swans, hence the name Ngang Yul. Overnight farmhouse.
The hike begins with a gradual ascent through beautiful juniper forests towards Phephe La Pass (3360m). The path then descends to Tang valley and continues on to Ugyencholing village (2850m), where you will spend the night at a guesthouse. The altitude here is 2670m.
In the morning, we will visit Ugyencholing Palace, a stunning private mansion from the 16th century. The palace also hosts a small museum that provides a wonderful overview of traditional rural life in Bhutan.
On our way back, we will stop by Mebartso, which is also known as the Lake of Fire. According to legend, Terton Pemalingpa, the founder of the Nyingmapa sect, discovered treasure hidden by Guru Rimpoche in the 15th century in this lake. Pemalingpa was able to retrieve the treasure by carrying a lamp that continued to burn even after being submerged in the freezing water.
In the afternoon, we will visit around Jakar valley. We will start with Jakar dzong, which houses about 100 monks, followed by Jambay Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan and Kurjey Lhakhang, where Guru Rimpoche meditated and had left his body imprint. In the evening, walk around Jakar town. Overnight hotel.
After breakfast, drive to Trongsa and visit Trongsa Dzong, which is the most strategically situated Dzong in the nation. It was constructed in the 17th century, and building it to its full splendor took almost 150 years. The first two kings of Bhutan, from whom the current monarchs descended, spent winters here occasionally. After visiting the Dzong, we will head towards Ta-Dzong, which was a watchtower that was transformed into a museum in 2008. The Wangchuck dynasty used around 244 artifacts in total, which are now on display in the museum. After lunch, we will transfer to Phobjikha. Overnight at the hotel.
We will start day seven by trekking through the lovely glacier valley from the hotel towards Gangtey. The trek offers a fantastic view of the nearby towns. According to legend, the inhabitants of Gangtey are descended from about 50 gomchen (lay monks) who lived there in the distant past. The largest Nyimapa School in the western region of Bhutan was established in 1613 and is located at Gangtey Gompa. In the afternoon, we will hike through tiny towns and boutiques on the way to Kilkhorthang village. The settlement of Kilkhorthang has about nine dwellings and a stunning temple. We can visit various homes to get to know the families. Overnight at the hotel.
We will hike towards Wangdue from the valley after traveling for around 30 minutes. The residents of the valley traveled south on this trail during the winter. In the past, when they relocated to Sha Chitokha for the winter, the monks used it as a key route. It is recommended for bird enthusiasts to visit during April because it is a lovely month with lots of blooms. The hike will take around five hours to complete. After the hike, your car will be waiting for you in the village of Khelyekhar to transport you overnight to Punakha. Overnight at the hotel.
Drive to Punakha and tour the Punakha Dzong in the morning. The Je Khenpo or Head Abbot of Bhutan and the core Monk Body, which consists of more than 350 monks, reside at this fortress monastery. It was built in 1637 between the confluence of the Po chu (male river) and Mo chu (female river). This is the most stunning dzong in Bhutan.
Afterward, we will continue into Nyzergang village and enjoy a lovely stroll through the rice fields, over the suspension bridge, and to the Khamsum Yuley Namgyel shrine. We can view the Puankha valley from the temple. The temple was constructed for the reigning monarch, and the artwork within is particularly lovely. We will stop at Lobesa and take a short stroll to Chhi-med Lhakhang, or "no dogs" temple, in the scenic valley to visit the temple of Lama Drukpa Kuenley, the most revered saint in Bhutan and the guy who is sometimes referred to as the "Divine Madman." In the evening, we will hike to Rinchengang village to get a general idea of the traditional Bhutanese way of life and take pictures of the nearby locals. Overnight at the hotel.
Today, we will travel to Dochula Pass by car, which sits at an altitude of 3150 meters. The pass is adorned by the 108 Druk Wangyel Chorten, which were constructed in recognition of the stability and progress that His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan, brought to the country. These stupas are an embodiment of Bhutan's aesthetic and spiritual traditions. We will spend some time taking pictures of the breathtaking beauty of this Bhutanese pass before embarking on a two-hour hike through the fir and rhododendron woodland to the Lungchuzekha monastery. From the monastery, we will enjoy a commanding view of the Himalayas. After a delicious meal, we will travel by car to Thimphu and then walk back to Dochula. We will have some spare time in the city before retiring to the hotel for the night.
After breakfast, we will take a 45-minute journey to the Tango Buddhist Institute in the north of Thimphu. We will climb for two hours to reach the sacred Tango Monastery, which was built in 1689 AD by Gyelse Tenzin Rabgyel, the fourth Desi (temporary ruler of Bhutan). Today, the monastery is the largest Buddhist center in the country and is also home to the young reincarnation of the founder. In the afternoon, we will visit Buddha point, which overlooks Thimphu town and is home to one of the biggest statues of Buddha in the country. We will also visit the Changzamtog weaving center followed by the textile museum, where we will see women weaving intricate patterns. Later in the evening, we will visit Trashichhodzong, which was built in the 17th century and serves as the summer residence of the central monastic body headed by the Je Khenpo (chief spiritual leader) and also houses the king's office. The woodwork and paintings here are among the finest in the country, and we will have the opportunity to take pictures in the courtyard. We will have some free time in the town before retiring to the hotel for the night.
Today, we will start the day by visiting the Memorial Chorten, which is an excellent place to take pictures, given the many pilgrims walking around this huge stupa. It was built in memory of the revered third king who passed away in 1972. We will then head to Buddha point, which overlooks Thimphu town and is home to one of the biggest statues of Buddha in the country. We will also visit the Changzamtog weaving center followed by the textile museum, where we will see women weaving intricate patterns. In addition, we will have the chance to witness the national game of Bhutan, archery, as we come across a lot of Bhutanese men playing every day. Later in the afternoon, we will transfer to Paro and stop at Tachhogang to hike over the suspension bridge to Tachhogang monastery. In the evening, we will visit a farmhouse for dinner and a hot stone bath before retiring to the hotel for the night.
In honor of Guru Rimpoche, we embarked on a hike to Taktsang Goemba, one of the most revered locations in the Buddhist faith. Legend has it that Guru Rimpoche, who is credited with introducing Buddhism to the Himalayan nations, arrived at this sacred site on the back of a tigress and spent three months in deep meditation. For over 1200 years, Taktsang has been a place of pilgrimage and contemplation.
The monastery sits atop a steep cliff, 2,000 feet above the Paro valley, offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The hike to Taktsang takes about four hours, with an hour's walk from the parking lot to the teahouse, followed by another hour and a half to reach the temple. Inside the main Taktsang complex, visitors can explore the many temples and soak in the spiritual energy of the place.
On the return journey, we stopped at the teahouse for a delightful lunch amidst the breathtaking scenery. Taktsang is a photographer's paradise, with its waterfalls, meditation caves, water prayer wheels, prayer flags, and stupas.
Overnight, we stayed at a hotel near the Paro valley to rest and reflect on the day's experience.
On the final day of our trip, we will transfer you to the airport for your departure
